


Sacrificed Body, Not Soul

by PeachWord



Category: White Collar
Genre: 3x11, Angst, Dark, Episode Tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-11
Updated: 2014-10-11
Packaged: 2018-02-20 17:06:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2436353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeachWord/pseuds/PeachWord
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tag to Season 3 Episode 11 'Checkmate'.  Neal sacrificed something to Keller in exchange for Elizabeth's return. One shot. AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sacrificed Body, Not Soul

“Hold still you little shit,” Keller whispered into my ear. “Or Mrs. Burke will not be pleased.”

I was still after that.

His hands went for my belt. “You must really care about this Agent Burke, Neal. Isn’t that why you are sacrificing yourself? Or perhaps you hate him? I do this to you instead of his wife and she’ll never know how a real man can feel against her skin.”

“Stop talking,” I gritted through my teeth as he placed his hands on my naked chest. His touch was cold. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked my head back.

“For such a smart man, you seem to be very confused. I talk when I want to talk. You talk when I’m done with you.”

I shivered when he kissed my neck, his hands roamed beneath my stomach. I still had my boxers on, but I felt worse than naked.

“Looks like I’ll be getting two treasures tonight Neal.”

***

“Oh god, El!” Are you okay?” Peter screamed as he kissed his wife.

She fought back tears of joy, ecstatic she was in the arms of her husband again. “I’m fine.”

He looked her up and down, not a scratch on her. “Let’s get you checked at the hospital, just to be sure.”

“Peter, really. I’m fine. They didn’t touch me.”

He hugged his wife again, never wanting to let go. “I love you El.”

“I love you too hun.”

Peter turned to Diana, “Any updates?”

“Jones is at the warehouse now. Keller’s in custody. Caffrey and him apparently got into a bit of a scuffle, but he’s okay for the most part."

***

“Looks like he got you good,” Peter said as he surveyed my face.

I forced a smile, probably shouldn’t have. The cut on my lip burned after that. “Yea.”

“You must have been upset when he broke that Raphael over your head,” he chuckled.

I nodded. I was upset, but not over the Raphael being broken, it was the fact that the Raphael painting and I now shared a characteristic. Only I know exactly what happened, well, me and Keller know…but I don’t think he wants _those_ charges added to his laundry list, so he definitely wasn’t going to sing like a canary.

Sometimes I wonder what would happen if Peter found out. Would he be more upset with Keller or with me for not saying anything? Who knows? I would never tell him. This was the only way to right my wrong. I mean, he was so goddamn angry when he slammed me into that wall in his backyard. He was yelling and screaming into my ears, rightfully so; all he wanted was his El back. And I saw it in his eyes, those angry red eyes. He would have done anything to get her back. Unharmed. Untouched.

So I made that happen. I gave my body willingly to a sadistic abuser so El could remain pure. So Peter and I could remain pure. I was fine with that. I think.

I became more fine with it when I saw El smiling in her husband’s arm. Then more so when Peter offered me a deviled ham sandwich and shooed my hand away when I tried to change the radio station during a stake-out. He wasn’t mad with me anymore.

The cut on my lip healed, so did the one on my forehead. No scaring either, always a plus. The bruises on my hips faded and it didn’t hurt anymore when I walked. Of course the treasure was gone, but it didn’t mean anything to me in the first place. Mozzie was more upset about it though. I logically argued the FBI didn’t steal it from us—we never owned it in the first place. Besides, even if we still had it, I knew what chaos it would bring. And I never wanted to run; if I did, then I would never be free.

I don’t think about that night with Keller too much. He only briefly took my body, not my soul. It was my choice. My sacrifice. The exchange was similar to that of renting a car you knew you were going to beat the hell out of, that’s why you bought the insurance too. So you wash it and buff out the scratches, fill it with oil and gas and its new renter is none the wiser. No one will ever know.

I was absolutely fine with that.


End file.
